The Path To Slavery (Exodus 1)

How did the powerful enslave the weak in ancient Egypt? Does ancient Egypt picture sin? Has murder of the innocent and oppression tainted history since ancient times? Has our world outgrown the evils of oppressing people and committing atrocities? Let’s discuss this in Exodus 1.

How many were the original immigrants from Israel into ancient Egypt?

Now these are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt; each man and his household came with Jacob: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. All those who were descendants of Jacob were seventy persons (for Joseph was in Egypt already). (Exodus 1:1-5 NKJV)

After that generation, how large had Israel grown as a nation during their sojourn in Egypt?

In time, Joseph and all of his brothers died, ending that entire generation. But their descendants, the Israelites, had many children and grandchildren. In fact, they multiplied so greatly that they became extremely powerful and filled the land. (Exodus 1:6-7 NLT)

What was Pharaoh’s fear? Is fear still a cause of political and religious oppression in today’s world?

Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who didn’t know Joseph. He said to his people, “Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we. Come, let’s deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it happen that when any war breaks out, they also join themselves to our enemies and fight against us, and escape out of the land.” (Exodus 1:8-10 WEB)

Did once-free people become slaves? As the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, is this a trend even in today’s modern age? Did their enslavement stop Israel from growing in numbers?

As a result, the Egyptians put foremen of forced work gangs over the Israelites to harass them with hard work. They had to build storage cities named Pithom and Rameses for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they grew and spread, so much so that the Egyptians started to look at the Israelites with disgust and dread. (Exodus 1:11-12 CEB)

Is slavery inevitable in this world’s oppressive Babylonian system? Is treating people like merchandise a natural result of power without morality? What does Revelation say about Babylon’s fall?

There won't be anyone to buy their gold, silver, jewels, … slaves, and other humans. (Revelation 18:12-13 CEV)

What did the Egyptians’ disgust and dread towards the Israelites cause them to do? Were they cruel?

So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves. (Exodus 1:13-14 ESV)

Did the Egyptians’ fear bring the king to the point of murdering newborn children? Is fear a cause of murder today?

Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, “When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them as they deliver. If the child is a son, kill him, but if it’s a daughter, she may live.” (Exodus 1:15-16 HCSB)

Did the midwives go along with this murder plot? What did Pharaoh ask them?

But the midwives feared God and didn’t do what the king of Egypt told them. Instead, they let the boys live. When the king of Egypt called for the midwives, he asked them, “Why have you done this and allowed the boys to live?” (Exodus 1:17-18 ISV)

What was their excuse? Do you think that Pharaoh actually believed it or was he just a weak king?

And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them. (Exodus 1:19 KJV)

What did God do with the midwives? What did Pharaoh command all his people?

So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became very mighty. Now it happened that because the midwives feared God, He made households for them. And Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Every son who is born you are to cast into the Nile, and every daughter you are to keep alive.” (Exodus 1:20-22 LSB)

How did the powerful enslave the weak in ancient Egypt? Does ancient Egypt picture sin? Has murder of the innocent and oppression tainted history since ancient times? Has our world outgrown the evils of oppressing people and committing atrocities? You decide!